Thursday 13 – Romantic movies

Casablanca (1942) – What can I say about this one? Wartime, sacrifice, Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman. It’s got it all. A tear-jerker that never disappoints.

Sunset Boulevard (1950) – This is a movie I saw recently. I’d heard of it for years and who could forget Carol Burnett’s impression of Nora Desmond. Not a romance in the conventional sense, but still a wonderful movie and a fabulous example of film noir.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – A movie to make anyone feel good about his/her life. Jimmy Stewart is the great George Bailey, the “richest man in town,” and Donna Reed is wonderful as his wife, who clearly could only have married him. One of my dad’s favorite films and one of mine as well.

Vertigo (1958) – My sister got me turned on to this movie. She told me it was fabulous. My husband and I rented it early in our marriage and half way through it I thought, this is no big deal. Boy, was I wrong! It changed in my mind almost immediately after that. I still watch it and marvel at what Hitchcock did!

Rebecca (1940) – Another Hitchcock movie and one I could watch over and over. Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine and that creepy housekeeper. I love the twist ending and just the feeling between the two people.

The Princess Bride (1987) – A fairy tale, a classic. A movie to lose yourself in. It’s funny and there are a plethora of quotable lines. My husband even learned to say the whole “My name is Inigo Montoya…” speech in German and my daughter has a tee-shirt with that line (in English) on it.

The Conversation (1974) – An interesting movie that I saw, kind of by accident. My father watched it on TV one day but for some reason, we didn’t get to see the end of it. Years later I watched it again and really liked it. It’s different but engaging and if you see Enemy of the State (1984) you see Gene Hackman play almost the same character.

Ben-Hur (1959) – This is another classic I’m ashamed to admit I only saw just recently. I was amazed at the depth of the faith element in this film, something Hollywood would be reluctant to do these days. The love between two childhood friends turns to hatred as ambition claims one man to the determent of the other. Only the love of Christ turns hatred to forgiveness. A wonderful story.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – The original, black and white version. A sweet story about believing even when everything tells you not to. The power of love and hope and the spirit of Christmas. One of those movies that are required to make the Christmas Season feel right.

While You Were Sleeping (1995) – I love Sandra Bullock movies, and this is one of the best romances. As a romance writer, it’s fun to watch these kinds of things and analyze just what is going on and where the plot points are and stuff. However, this one is just fun to watch and no matter how many times I see it, I just can’t help getting caught up in it.

Notting Hill (1999) – I kind of avoided this one for a long time because while I’m a Hugh Grant fan, I’m very indifferent on the subject of Julia Roberts. However, I think Hugh is wonderful in his movie, and he’s surrounded by a wonderful support system/family that I want to be a part of. It’s a nice, happily not predictable, movie.

Ever After (1998) – A surprising movie. Drew Barrymore is a thoroughly “modern” Cinderella in a fairy tale world. This is a movie that doesn’t make Cinderella a victim, but it doesn’t resort to blatant sex scenes, even though there is a clear opportunity for at least one.

Roxanne (1987) – Steve Martin is a surprising actor, and never more so than in stories he had some part in creating. This movie, a retelling of the Cyrano story, is one of his best, if not his best, in my opinion. Funny but touching and charming. If Roxanne doesn’t want this man, she’s nuts and there are tons of us out here who would!